Fuel cell system and method
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsJonathan Rheaume, Matthew Pess
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for generating electrical power includes an electrochemical cell including a cathode and an anode separated by an electrolyte, a cathode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode including a cathode-side inlet and a cathode-side outlet, and an anode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the anode including an anode-side inlet and an anode-side outlet. The system also includes: a reactant source in operative fluid communication with the anode-side inlet; an oxygen generator in operative fluid communication with the cathode-side inlet, including a combustible composition comprising a fuel and a salt that thermally decomposes to release oxygen; and an electrical connection between the electrochemical cell and a power sink.
Claims19
A system for generating electrical power, comprising:
- an electrochemical cell including a cathode and an anode separated by an electrolyte, a cathode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the cathode including a cathode-side inlet and a cathode-side outlet, and an anode fluid flow path in operative fluid communication with the anode including an anode-side inlet and an anode-side outlet;
- a reactant source in operative fluid communication with the anode-side inlet;
- an oxygen generator in operative fluid communication with the cathode-side inlet, including a combustible composition comprising a fuel and a salt that thermally decomposes to release oxygen;
- and
- an electrical connection between the electrochemical cell and a power sink;
- and
- a heater or heat exchanger disposed on a flow path between the oxygen generator and the electrochemical cell, the heater or heat exchanger arranged to heat or cool oxygen from the oxygen generator;
- and
- a pressure regulator disposed on the flow path between the oxygen generator and the electrochemical cell, the pressure regulator in fluid communication with the oxygen generator and the cathode.
A method of generating electrical power, comprising:
- reacting a composition comprising a fuel and a salt that thermally decomposes to release oxygen to produce released oxygen, and a heater or heat exchanger and a pressure regulator disposed on a flow path between the released oxygen and a cathode of an electrochemical cell, the heater or heat exchanger arranged to heat or cool the released oxygen, and the pressure regulator in fluid communication with the cathode;
- directing the released oxygen to the cathode of the electrochemical cell including the cathode and an anode separated by an electrolyte;
- directing a reactant to the anode, and reacting the reactant with the released oxygen;
- and
- directing electrical power from the electrochemical cell to a power sink.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.